Method of producing fashioned flat stocking blanks



HOD 0 PRO nucme F iiginal Filed Oct. 12, 1940 3 Sheet July], 1942; E. .L ERGE'R $288,673

METHOD OF PRODUCING FASHIONED FLAT s'rocxme' BLANKS- I Original Filed Oct. 12, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet v2 -FIG 4 W] TNESSES; INVENTORQ I EmiZ/JB ezyer,

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Patented 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICI assume h I METHOD OF PRODUCING FASHIONED FLAT STOCKING BLANKS Emil J. Berger, Hatfield, Pa., assignor to Dexdale Hosiery Mills, 'Lansdale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application October 12,1940, Serial No.

360,883. Divided and this application March 3, 1941, Serial No. 381,497

6 Claims. (01. 66-184) This invention relates to the production of fashioned flat stocking blanks, the present application being a division of an earlier patent application Ser. No. 360,883 filed by me on October The object of my present invention is to predetermine, through carrying out of novel steps incident to straightaway and uninterrupted-knitting of a flat blank, an improved shape of configuration, which, when the selvages of the blank are finally seamed, will result in a stocking Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows, in side elevation, a completed stocking formed from, a fashioned flat blank produced in accordance with my improved method of knitting.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, inside elevato a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the rear elevation of the stocking heel.

of which-the present invention is concerned; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the texture of the fabric in the lower portion of one of the heel For convenience, I will first briefly describe the finished stocking shown in Figs. 1-3, and

of thestocking drawnprojections of the, stocking blank.

a bias'in the-gussets 29. The toe i8 is likewise characterized at opposite sides by connecting segments 2|, 22 of narrowing lines which also lie at an obtuse angle to each other. The heel l-l; toe l8 and sole 24 of the stocking'are splice reinforced as indicated by the wale line shading,

' the reinforcement being prolonged up into the creation of a cradle foot effect. The stocking ankle, as at 25, to provide what is ordinarily termed as a "French high heel. It will also be noted that the reinforcement is extended inwardly to a more or less ,irreg'ular line, with,

is seamed crosswise of its toe at 23,- and also continuously of the rear of its leg ii and along thebottom of its foot as conventionally indicated at 26., I

In accordance with my invention, the blank of Fig, 4 is continuously produced, preferably on a suitable flat knitting machine'of the Cotton" type in the following manner: the leg and ankle portions H and I5 of the. blank are knitted from a single body yarn down to the line a--a'-a2a3, whereupon two splicing yarn carriers are brought into actionand their traverse controlled to produce, with the body yarn carrier (whereof the traverse is maintained uniform for the time being) and. square areas 21, i

21' which together constitute the 'high heel re .inforcement 25 of the finished stocking, such in Fig. 4 from which the stocking is formed. As 1 shown, the stocking has a welt top "I; a shaped downwardly-tapered leg ll with usual lines l2 and it of narrowing marks respectively immediately below the welt and at the calf ll; an

narrowed toe 18. The heel I1 is characterized at opposite sides by connecting segments l9 and ankle portion 15; and anintegraliy formed foot I with a widened and narrowed heel l1; and a knitting being continued down to the line b- -b'-b2--b3. At this stage, the traverse of the main yarn carrier is progressively increased outward at a suitable rate with addition of extra fabric loops at or near the salvage edges of the blank down to the line cc'c2--c3, while the inward throw .of the splicing yarn carriers is simultaneously increased progressively to bring the reinforced areas further toward the center of the blank. In the last described step, lateral transfers may be made adjacent the web edges after the manner disclosed in my U. 8. Patent #2311315 dated August 13, 1940. Continuing from the line c--c'--c2--c3, the traverseof the .main yarn carrier is kept -uniform, butthat. of

with inward transfer of constant numbers of edge margin loops each time by two needles, say

every six or eight courses as exemplifiedin Fig. 5, until the line ee'-e2-e3 is reached, -th e transticularly noted that the fabric wales extend on ferring occasioningpformation of the line segments d'e' and d2e2 of narrowing marks l9, l9 well inward of the opposite edges of the blank and defining the gussets 28, 28' in which the fabric wales extend parallel with the edge segthe line f-f'--,f2--f3 to form gussets 29, 29" in which the wales extend in the same direction as in the gussets 28, 28 with the defining selvages ef, e3f3 and lines of fashioning marks e',f',

- e2-f2 parallel to each other but angularly disposed relative to said wales. For example, in the gusset 29' it will be noted from Fig. 5 that the end loop in each plain course is dropped, and I that in the succeeding narrowed course, the loop in the wale next to the wale of the dropped loop istransferred inwardly-in the illustrated instanc'e -by the distance of one wale. At the same time .a loop is added to the inner end of the series of transferred loops in the line e2-j2 to compensate for the loop dropped in the previous course. As a consequence of such edge loop dropping and compensative inner loop addition, the wales in the gussets 29, 29' will continue in the same direction as the wales in the gussets 28, 28','with the selvages ej, e3-f3 and the lines e'f', e2f2 extending parallel respectively to each other but forming at an angle to the. wales in said gussets 29, 29' as shown. In this connection it is important tonote that the fashioning lines d',f' and d2-,f2

are considerably further inward from the selvage edges than ;-.is the case with the corresponding lines ing-.thestocking of Patent #2,154,602. Duringthelast ;.cl1 escribed phase of. the knitting the traverse of .themain carrier is maintained uniform for/a time to determine formation of the medial or, instep portion 30 of the stocking foot down to the line'h-.h--h2h3h4-h5. However, in; the interval between the lines gq'-g2--g3 and h--h'-h2h3--h4h5, the inward movement of the two splicing yarn carriers is progressively increased at a varying rate to extend the reinforced areas still further toward the center of the blankin order to strengthen those portions of the fabric, which, when the stocking is in use, contact the sides of the large toe joints of the wearer. About the time the line hh'h2h3h4--h5 is reached,

tions l1, ll of the blank are graduated, i. e., progressively increased in size in the interval between the lines bb'-b2-b3, and f-j'-j2-]3, from the normal at the inner selvage lines of the reinforcement toward the blank edges as conventionally indicated at 3| in Fig. 2. The same procedure is resorted to during the knitting of the high heel reinforcement squares 21, 21', as at 32 in Fig. 2, the increase in the size of the loops being here, however, at a more rapid rate, so that the edge loops at 33 of said squares will be substantially equal in size to those at 34 at the edges of.the heel cheeks l1, H. In this way, the heel boundary edges are increased in length with resultant attainment of the desired fullness and the formation of a more perfectly fitting heel, and with'preclusion of objectionable dove tail limit lines such as shown in broken lines 35 in Figs. 2 and 3 at the topof the high heel reinforcement. the gussets 28, 28' and 29, 29, and-through change in the rate of narrowing in the segmental fashioning lines e' f', e2,f2 from that followed in the segmental fashioning lines de, d2e2, I not only obtain a more correct rounding at the regions of mergence of the heel bottoms with the sole, and disposal of the foot more nearly at right angles to the leg, but determine a relatively sharp bias as between the fabric wales in said region and the connecting wales of the heel cheeks in the regions directly thereabove. The latter feature has the advantage of rendering the heel bottom of the finished stocking elastic in the direction of the length of the foot, while still allowing ample elasticity in the fabric crosswise of the instep to counteract'the strain induced when the wearer's foot is thrust into the stocking. Referring again to Fig. 4, it

a single splicing yarn carrier only is used in contendant transferring of constant equal numbers ofedge margin loops inward and with incidental formation of the segmental hi' andv h4i2 of fashioning marks 2|, 2| well inward of the edge segments h, i and k5, i3. Finally, during the knitting of the fabric from the line iii2-z'3 to the terminal line 1'd'- -i2 j3, progressively decreasing numbers of heel loops are transferred inward, with attendant formation of the segmental i'y" and z'29'2 of fashioning marks- 22, 22' of narrowing in continuation of the lines h'---' and h4-i2 to taper the toe tip substanis to be particularly observed that by reason of the fashioning at d and (12-12, the portions of each fabric course in the areas 2829 and 28'-29' instanced by the lines H and e2 e3 are in the relation of a flat obtuse angle to the connecting portion of each such course extending across the instep and represented by the line e'-e2. As a consequence of the last described procedure, objectionable puckering is avoided along the sutures d'- and d2f2. It is moreover to be observed from Fig. 4 that, due to the liberal width of the heel bottom gussets 2829 and 28 29 and of the toe bottom sections at 313|", the fashioning-lines d',f, d2j2 and h':i, ltd-'42 are caused to predetermine a sole contour which coincides exactly with the sole area of the wearer's foot when the stocking is in I use.

. The characterizing features which have been explained mutually contribute toward the provision of a stocking which is not only attractive consequence of being an integral structure throughout, can be much more economically manufactured than the usual types of full fashioned hosiery where the leg is knit on one matially after the manner disclosed in Patent #2,142,489 grantedto me on January 3, 1939. Furthermore, in accordance with my present invention, the fabric loops in the heel cheek por- It must be particularly emphasized that -while the fashionings which I employ are in general similar to some which have been used in the prior art, yet their previous employment has not produced a thoroughly satisfactory stocking be- Through interposition of cause the means resorted to for the accomplishment of certain desirable ends have heretofore tended to neutralize each other, advantage gained in one place being counterbalanced by a disadvantage in another place or in another respect. By following the manufacturing directions which I have given in this' specification a result is secured in which the desired ends are attained without sacrificing any one to another.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The'method of producing an integral fiat:- knit selvage-edged blank for a fashioned stocking which comprises shaping the leg portion down to the ankle by progressively reducing the width of the fabric; thereafter resorting to widening for a time by progressive addition of end loops along opposite side edges of the blank to form the upper portions of the heel cheeks; then narrowing for a time by occasional transfer of constant numbers of fabric loops inward from'the side edges by a plurality of wales to form the bottom portions of the heel cheeks; thennarrowing for a time by more frequent transfer of a constantnumber of fabric loops inward from the blank edges, with incidental dropping of end loops to form gussets for mergence of the heel cheeks; then narrowing for a time by occasional transfer of a constant number of fabric loops inward from side edge by a plurality of wales to form the bottoms of the heel cheeks; then narrowing for a time by more frequent transfer of a constant number of fabric loops inward from the blank edges with incidental dropping of end loops to form gussets for mergence of the heel cheek bottoms into the foot; then maintaining. the width of the blank uniform for a time to produce the instep of the foot; then again resorting to narrowing by transfer of uniform numbers of loops inward from the opposite edges of the blank to shape the advance toe; and finally continuing the narrowing for a time with incidental inward transfer of gradually decreasing numbers of end loops to shape the toe tip. 4. The method of producing a stocking according to claim 1, wherein, during the formation of the ankle portion, the loops of the fabric wales are graduated from the infield area of the blank toward the selvages; and wherein. during bottoms with the foot; and then continuing with the knitting to form the foot portion of the blank.

2. The method of producing an integral flatknit selvage-edged blank for a fashioned-stocking which comprises shaping the leg portion down to the ankle by gradually reducing the width of the fabric; thereafter resorting to widening for a time by progressive addition of end loops along opposite side edges ofthe blank to'formthe upper portions of the heel cheeks; then maintaining the width of the blank uniform for a time to form the medial portions of the heel cheeks; then narrowing for a time by occasional transfer of a constant number of fabric loops inward from'the side edges by a plurality of wales to form the heel cheek bottoms; then narrowing for a time by more frequent transfer of a constant: number of fabric loops inward from the blank edges with incidental dropping each time of end loops to form gussets for mergence of the heel cheek bottoms into the foot; and then continuing with the knitting to form the foot portion of the blank.

3. The method of producing an integral flatknit selvage-edged blank for a fashioned stocking which comprises shaping the leg portion down to the ankle by gradually reducing the width of the fabric; thereafter resorting to' widening for a time by progressive addition of end loops along opposite side edges of the blank to form the upper portions of heel cheeks; then maintaining the width of the blank uniform for a time to form the medial portions of the heel the knitting of the heel cheek portions, the individual fabric courses are similarly graduated from a region within the area of the blank toward the selvages at a different rate than in the ankle portion.

5. The method of producing cording to claim 1, wherein, during the formation of the ankle portion, the loops of the individual courses are graduated in size from the normal at the infield area of the blank, outwardly toward the selvages; and wherein, during the .formation of the ankle portion, the'loops of the individual fabric courses are similarly increased in size from a region within the area of the blank, outwardly towardthe selvages but at a different rate than in the ankle portion.

6. The method of producing an integral fiat--x knit selvage-edged blank for alfashioned stocking, which comprises shaping the leg portion down to the ankle by progressively reducing the width of the fabric; thereafter resorting to widening for a time by progressive addition of end loops along opposite side edges of the blank to form the upper portions of the heel cheeks; then narrowing for a time by addition of constant numbers of fabric loops inward from the side edges by a plurality of wales to form the bottom portions of the heel cheeks; then narrowing for a time by more frequent transfer of a constant number of fabric loops inward from the blank edges but by a lesser distance in each 1 instance than before, with incidental dropping of end loops, to form gussets for mergence of the heel bottoms with the foot and then c'ontinuing with the knitting to form the 'foot portion of the blank.

mam J.- BERGER.

a'stocking ac- 

